ETHICAL DIMENSIONS OF THE FETUS AS A PATIENT
Objective: To describe the ethical concept of the fetus as a patient and identify its implications for the deliberative practice of perinatal medicine.Methods: We describe secular medical ethics and its two fundamental principles, beneficence and respect for autonomy. We articulate the ethical conce...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Siberian State Medical University (Tomsk)
2013-06-01
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| Series: | Bûlleten' Sibirskoj Mediciny |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://bulletin.tomsk.ru/jour/article/view/366 |
| Summary: | Objective: To describe the ethical concept of the fetus as a patient and identify its implications for the deliberative practice of perinatal medicine.Methods: We describe secular medical ethics and its two fundamental principles, beneficence and respect for autonomy. We articulate the ethical concept of the fetus as a patient on the basis of the ethical principle of beneficence.Results: In the deliberative practice of perinatal medicine guided by the ethical concept of the fetus as a patient, the perinatologist should always identify and balance beneficence-based obligations to the fetal patient and beneficence-based and autonomy-based obligations to the pregnant patient. Directive counseling is appropriate when the fetus is a patient. Non-directive counseling is appropriate when the fetus is not a patient.Conclusion: Counseling pregnant women about the clinical management of their pregnancies should always identify and balance beneficence-based obligations to the fetal patient and beneficence-based and autonomy-based obligations to the pregnant patient. |
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| ISSN: | 1682-0363 1819-3684 |